Why Do We Have Our Homes Blessed?

by Phyllis Meshel Onest, M.Div.

Begin Everything with Prayer

Since we are reminded in Scripture to begin whatever we do with
prayer, it has been the practice of Orthodox Christians for centuries
to have new dwellings blessed either before or just after settling
in. This has been extended to one's business or office, and even
college dorm rooms. "The service performed by the priest
to bless the new dwelling is somewhat similar to the consecration
of a church [in the Russian practice] in that holy water, holy
oil, and incense are used and a lesson from the holy Gospel is
read. All the rooms of the house are sprinkled with holy water
and each of the four outer walls are anointed with the sign of
the Cross with holy oil, a candle placed before them, and after
the censing of the house, the lesson from the Holy Gospel is read
[in Greek practice the service of the Small Blessing of Waters
is generally done]. At the conclusion of the blessing, the inhabitants
are blessed with holy water: the husband first, followed by the
wife and then the children - the oldest first. Relatives and friends
present are then blessed." (Marriage and the Christian
Home, by Rev. Michael B. Henning, p.24.)

Back to "The Fall"

From Scripture we know that whatever God created was good, but
with "the Fall", evil entered the world, corrupting
the creation. God the Father sent His Son Jesus to save it by
effecting a "new creation". This is celebrated at Theophany,
specifically with the Great Blessing of Water. "The consecration
of the waters on this feast places the entire world - through
its 'prime element' of water - in the perspective of the cosmic
creation, sanctification, and glorification of the Kingdom of
God in Christ and the Spirit." (The Orthodox Faith, Vol.
II, Worship, by Fr. Thomas Hopko, p.127.) All the readings,
hymns, prayers, and actions of the day speak of God's presence
in our entire world and universe, His creation.

Through water all of the creation is once again sanctified by
God, becoming good again, the way God had intended.

The Feast Of Theophany

The Feast of Theophany (or Epiphany) commemorates the Baptism
of our Lord in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. We know from
the troparion of the day that "the Trinity was made manifest"
to us. But there's more to it than this. "When Jesus descends
into the depths of the river, there occurs a profound upheaval.
It is not the one baptized who is purified, for he is spotless;
but it is the water that is transfigured and illumined. This water,
which was believed to be transparent and purifying, is in fact
polluted, inhabited by evil spirits, servants of the old gods.
By purifying the elements, by sanctifying matter, Jesus
frees the cosmos from the powers of evil." (The Incarnate
God, Vol. I, Catherine Aslanoff, French edition editor, translated
by Paul Meyendorff, p.163.)

The Great Blessing of Water and the Home

The Great Blessing of Water takes place at the end of that day's
Liturgy. Since our homes cannot be brought to the Church, the
Church - through the priest and cantor - go to the homes. There
the service of blessing, which began in the church, is finished
with the sprinkling of water in the home. Traditionally, in most
Orthodox parishes, the priest personally visits all his parishioners
each year to pray with them in the place where they live, and
to bless their surroundings with the newly sanctified water of
Theophany (January 6/13). By sanctifying our living quarters,
our private place, we extend the grace of God to our individual
dwellings. (In very large parishes a yearly visit may not be possible.
In areas of the country where the winter is harsh, I know of at
least one parish where houses are blessed at the beginning of
the ecclesiastical year in September.)

We also bring the blessed
water to our homes to use throughout the year to bless our homes
and to drink whether we are ill or as part of our daily prayer
life. "There are many occasions in family life when a sip
of holy water can help to remind us of the blessing that was given
'to bestow sanctification', 'unto healing of soul and body', 'to
be a fountain welling forth unto life eternal', as the priest
prayed in the litany of Epiphany day." (Little Falcons:
Water, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1998, p.33.)

Weaving Christ into Our Lives"

The blessing of homes by these holy waters maintains the spiritual
association between the 'family church' and the parish, as well
as again providing for the sharing of God's spiritual gifts.
This annual blessing is not as elaborate as the blessing of the
new dwelling, but because of this it should not be overlooked,
for it is in this way that the grace of God is extended to individual
dwellings." (Marriage and the Christian Home, p.25.)

If the priest comes to bless the home when the children are present,
they have the opportunity to see the parish priest in a different
and personal situation. If the priest permits, they can lead the
way through the house, or hold a candle. They can show him their
rooms or pets or favorite toys. They receive a blessing with water.
For children, the house blessing shows the connection of the Church
to the home.

In Summary

What does it mean to ask God to bless something? All things in
the world have been spoiled right along with us. God must bless
His world again in order for it to be the way that He wants it
to be. For this reason God sent His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit
to the world: to bless everyone and everything that He made, to
make all things good again. When the priest comes to bless our
homes, he asks God to have mercy on the house, to rid it of every
evil and to fill it with every blessing. What a wonderful way
to begin the New Year!